Thailand's finance minister on Thursday forecast economic growth at two percent next year after crippling protests, the lowest level since Thailand recovered from the Asian financial crisis.

Suchart Thada-Thamrongvech said gross domestic product (GDP) would likely fall in the first three months of 2009 by between 0.5 and 1.0 percent, before levelling to 2.0 percent growth for the year.

Economic growth in 2008, meanwhile, is forecast to average 4.0 percent, with the last three months expected to sec only 1.0 percent growth, he said.

"Both economic and political problems will impact Thailand's gross domestic product in the first quarter of next year," Suchart told reporters.

"For the whole of next year, our GDP Is likely to i ecover as the US economy is

expected to start improving following the US government's economy-boosting policies, " he added.

Thailand suffered billions of dollars of losses when anti-government protesters marched on Bangkok's two main airports, forcing the main Suvarnabhumi international hub to close from November 25 to Decembers.

Industry experts and analysts say the protests will have long-term knock-on effects for tourism, industry, exports and investment.

The airport seizures came after six months of street protests in Bangkok, which helped send Thailand's bourse falling about 50 percent since late May.

If growth is confirmed at 2.0 percent next year, that will be its lowest level since 1998, when Thailand saw GDP fall 10.5 percent as it struggled to recover from the Asian financial crisis a year earlier. UN figures show.